The tyrannical headmaster was played by Norman Lloyd, the longest-active film actor ever in history. The man became 106 years old and he started as a child actor in the silent era. He had a 100-year film career, an amazing achievement.

This is an amazing 'coming of age' movie with an astounding cast. Robin Williams was not only one of the best comedians of his time but also a phenomenal dramatic actor.

hi Mary, you can find in the deleted scenes the poem that Anderson (Ethan Hawke) wrote and later discarded .. i think its really significant, and i believe that if (this is just my headcanon ofc) Neil would had heard it he will still be alive.. i leave you here the poem (which btw each actor wrote their character's poem): "We are dreaming of tomorrow and tomorrow isn't coming We are dreaming of a glory that we don't really want We are dreaming of a new day when the new day's here already We are running from the battle when it's one that must be fought. And still we sleep. We are listening for the calling but never really heeding Hoping for the future when the future's only plans Dreaming of the wisdom that we are dodging daily Praying for a savoir when salvation's in our hands. And still we sleep. And still we sleep And still we pray And still we fear And still we sleep"

O' Captain! My captain! Carpe Diem. My favorite Robin Williams film of all time. Thanks for the reaction. The last scene still gets me every time. Especially with the swelling music. Just rewatched it and it had the same effect as when I first saw it many years ago. Thanks for everything you've given us Robin. You were and will always be a gift. Rest in sweet peace.

I was 17 between my junior and senior years of high school (Summer of 1989), and this film hit me at the exact right time. I was the same age as many of the guys in the cast, and I was doing a lot of reading for my Senior year A.P. English class. I was always a huge fan of Robin Williams (bordering on hero worship). After I graduated...I spent quite a bit of time reading a lot of literature and poetry. To this day, this is my favorite Robin Williams film...and in my opinion, the one he should have won Best Actor for at the Oscars (Daniel Day-Lewis won his first for 'My Left Foot'). The only Oscar it won was Best Original Screenplay. 16:53 - Ethan Hawke, who played Todd Anderson, had made a couple of things as a kid (The Explorers, directed by Joe Dante and co-starring River Phoenix when he was a kid), but when he got this job, he became very serious (and a bit pretentious) about being an actor. So serious that whenever Robin went off on one of his tangents between takes and had everyone laughing, Ethan was stoic and not laughing, partly because he was trying to be "Mr. Serious Actor" and stay in character. As a result, Robin tried harder and harder to get him to crack up and lower his guard. Ethan held firm. When they filmed this scene, the 'Barbaric Yawp' scene, Robin was so impressed with what Ethan did that he called his agent...and told him that he needed to represent Ethan Hawke. Ethan had no agent at the time. This was the kind of thing Robin did constantly...helping others, being a kind human being, and being one of the funniest humans alive. Ethan, to my knowledge, still has the same agent to this day. He is arguably the most successful of the young guys in Hollywood...a couple of Oscar nominations, an amazing trilogy of films with collaborators actress-writer Julie Delpy and writer-director Richard Linklater (The 'Before' Trilogy...'Before Sunrise', 'Before Sunset', and 'Before Midnight'...all three are must-see films, each filmed 10 years apart!), and a great limited series documentary he produced and directed called 'The Last Movie Stars' about screen legends Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward. A couple of the other young actors are interesting to note: - Pitts (who reads the first poem in class) is played by James Waterson, the son of Sam Waterson, who is best known for TV series like 'Law & Order', 'The Newsroom', and 'Grace and Frankie', as well as the paternal older half-brother of Katherine Waterson (best known for her role as American witch and auror Tina Goldstein in J.K.Rowling's 'Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them' films with Eddie Redmayne). - Knox (in love with Chris) is Josh Charles, who has been most busy on TV...'The Good Wife' and Aaron Sorkin's first foray into television 'Sports Night'. He has made a lot of films, too. - Charlie Dalton (aka Nuwanda) played by Gale Hansen never really did any more projects with the size of 'Dead Poets', and he plays one of my favorite characters. The last acting job he had was for a tv show playing a security guard in 1998. He just kind of disappeared. The headmaster Mr. Nolan was played by a genuine legend in acting. Norman Lloyd did every kind of acting (theater, vaudeville, radio, television, and films) and appeared in the classic 'Citizen Kane' with Orson Welles as a member of Welles's Mercury Theater players. His career spanned from age 9 in 1923 to age 106 in 2021 when he passed away. 27:58 - Robert Sean Leonard, who was on 'House', appeared in Kenneth Branagh's 'Much Ado About Nothing' (1993) by Shakespeare as Claudio. The supporting cast was stellar: Denzel Washington (Don Pedro), Keanu Reeves (Don John, the villain), Branagh (as Benedick), Emma Thompson (at the time Mrs. Ken Branagh IRL, as Beatrice), Michael Keaton (as Dogsbury), and Kate Beckinsale (in her first film as Hero, Claudio's love). Shortly after that, he did 'Romeo And Juliet' as Romeo on stage in New York. The guy has serious Shakespeare chops. I recommend 'Much Ado About Nothing', it is a wonderful adaptation of one of Shakespeare's funniest plays.

Oh Mary, you got me crying more than I usually do. I saw it when it came out, and so many times after. When you said Neil would be proud of them at the end....gutted.

This film still breaks me to this day. It left an indelible mark on my soul. I decorated my graduation cap with quotes from this movie imposed over a typewriter. "Carpe Diem" and "What will your verse be?" People loved it. Especially because I was going on to college to study English Literature. Now I work in an independent bookstore. Although I didn't earn my degree, I left school because of family illness, and became a caregiver, I still followed my passion and my dream came true. Next step: own my own bookstore.

Robin Williams was a treasure. RIP.

This film was one of the most influential movies for me when I was young. Your reaction was so beautiful Mary!

when Mary said, "Neil would've been proud" I teared up. I've seen this movie pry close to 10 times, and her saying that really got me

This was one of my favourite movies growing up

I love this film. Like you said, Robin Williams' eyes have a way of conveying such sadness. Makes it all the more heartbreaking to know that in the end the sadness was really there in him.

I remember seeing this when it first came out in theaters. When Neil took his own life and when they all stood on their desks saying, "O Captain, My Captain!" their wasn't a dry eye in the theater. I bawled my eyes out and still do when I see that. Gets me every single time.

Oh fantastic movie. I saw it in my formative years so i feel it's one of those that helped shape me.

I saw this in the theatre with friends back then… we all felt like we weren’t touching the ground when we came out ❤

Thank you for reacting to one of my favorite movies! Robin sure is missed

Bring on the tears!

Standing on the desks gets me to this day. Robin was awesome. And to think he thought there was nothing left for him in his darkest moment a few years ago - when he brought the world so so much light. All those films that will never be made. All those stories never to be told. O' Captain! My captain!

One of the rare movies that speaks to the heart and the brain.

This is one of my favourite Robin Williams movies and one of my go-to’s when I want a movie that will make me cry every time!

One of the best movies ever made. I think this was the first film that showed Robin Williams range as an actor. He went from coked up stand up comedy and Mork and Mindy to this brilliant work. And never looked back. A real genius.

I cry every time I see this movie. Thank you so much for your beautiful reaction! Also, I would love to see you react to Amadeus! It's one of my top 10 favorite movies of all time.

When you said, "There he is..." and put your hand over your heart, it brought tears to my eyes. O Captain, My Captain, I'll miss you forever. 💔

One cool thing about this movie that not enough people talk about is how Mr. Keating didn’t just get through to the boys, but he also got through to one of the other professors. Mr. McAllister, the man who walks in on the boys tearing the pages out of their books and has the conversation with Mr. Keating at dinner about how boys shouldn’t be free thinkers at their age. Keating really wins him over during that conversation, and a couple of other times throughout the movie, Mr. Keating and Mr. McAllister are seen together, laughing and enjoying each others’ company. Then, after Mr. Keating is fired, he looks out his office window to see Mr. McAllister giving a tour of the campus, then looking up at Keating and giving him a solemn wave goodbye. It’s just cool that not every adult at Welton is a lost cause. There’s hope for Mr. Keating’s teaching philosophy to be carried on.

what u have to remember about cameron is that, in the end, he is also still just a kid. these boys are juniors, so he's seventeen years old, maximum. he's under immense pressure from his parents and headmaster, he's facing the threat of expulsion, and he's actively grieving his best friend. he's not equipped to handle a situation like this as a child, so when he's given someone to blame, it's really easy for him to blame them, regardless of evidence to the contrary. he's being exploited. of course what he did wasn't right -- although let's remember that almost all the other boys, barring charlie, ending up providing the exact same information to nolan that cameron did -- but it's not something we can really blame him for. he was a teenager faced with a situation that no teenager should ever be faced with. i think hating cameron, or blaming him for keating being fired, sort of misses the point of the film to a degree. this movie's platform is that the adults are the ones to blame, NOT, in any circumstances, the children. it's also worth noting that none of the other poets are super NICE to cam throughout the film; neil is the one who includes him in the group and invites him to things. once neil is gone, cameron probably feels super isolated from the rest of the poets, making him even more susceptible to being used by the authority figures of this movie.

You look so pretty in this reaction but then again you always do! 😉

Even so many decades later, this movie continues to feel revolutionary. Our society, schools and (tragically) even parents tend to bring out the worst in teenage boys, they are raised to be unemotional pure status seeking "breadwinners" but this movie explores a brilliant and and bittersweet "what if".

I noticed how your initial perception of this movie changed very quickly from a Robin Williams comedy to a very serious drama. Kurt wood Smith is the scariest dad ever.

This is one of my favorite movies ever and I haven't been able to watch it all the way through given Robin's passing. when the tributes started flowing more than one of his friends stood up on their desks in respect.

Ohhh... Mary! My Mary.

Great movie! Always enjoy your reactions Mary 🙂👍🏻

What you said about Robin Williams at the end… even more powerful and tragic watching this movie now and knowing that he took his own life. He understood this character and film because he understood the subject matter on a deep level from his own personal struggles. A true artist.

I've saw this movie at least 10 times already and I can never avoid crying for Neil. Just to rub salt in it yet, The scene on the snow, when Todd runs creaming Neil's name? That was his Barbaric Yawp, guys. And it breaks my heart.

Growing up I had three neighbors discover their father's suicides at a very young age. A bit of a reversal from this film. Each of these young men grew up to be brilliant world perforermers. I really felt your reaction as someone who feels another's pain but doesn't really know. Your emotions are so sincere and so appreciated. One was a world-class surfer, the other an MIT math sensation and the third a devoted husband. All beautiful human beings.

This is probably my favorite movies of all time. Such a great story to it.

Your end talk after the film is wonderful and one of my favorite parts of you reactions. You always take something important from the film.

I wanted to give you a hug knowing and seeing your emotions. Great reaction as always.

This might be Robin Williams's best film!

Todd is based on the screenwriter Tom Sculman, he said that was roughly who he was at school, shy, introverted and afraid and yet he was the first to stand on a desk....

OH YES!!!! I LOVE THIS MOVIE

One of my all time favorites. I attended an all boys boarding school around the time this movie came out, so you can imagine we watched it quite a bit.

"The greater good" soundbite got a very hearty laugh out of me, well done hahaha. Can't wait to see the rest of the reaction to this gem of a film

I feel the same way about forgetting anything I learned in school. I’ve heard something kind of comforting in response to that…the purpose of school is actually to teach you how to learn…so that part I bet you have retained and used throughout your life.

The first time I heard of Carpe Diem was in this movie. And have been using it since

Simply a beautiful, thoughtful, and amazingly well-crafted movie. The writing, directing, acting (Robin Williams especially), music and cinematography are all remarkable... and make this one of my all-time favorites. While I've been lucky enough to have a number of magical "moments" sharing special films with my kids over the years, this one easily falls within the top 5... and that helps make it all the more special (for the record, the others are Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Star Wars, The Karate Kid and LOTR). Thanks for sharing your reaction with all of us!

I remember having to watch this movie in english class and getting traumatized due to Neil's death. While it did affect me at first but that was a while ago and now I watch it regularly. It's actually shown in many school's nowadays which while the death may affect them it teaches students and parents alike amazing life lessons. I actually live my life to some of these lessons.

Scent of a Woman is another good one.

This is a timeless movie. It’s a part of me and it’s now downloaded to my phone so I can watch it whenever.

Your reaction exactly like mine when I first watched what is one of the best cinematic triumphs of all time. Still tear up whenever I can bear to watch it again. Thank you for such a great reaction.

It's always interesting to see which people catch on to what's actually going on with Neil

Ethan Hawke told a fun little story about making this movie. During this time he wanted to be known as a serious actor so he was trying to always study his line and never make mistake or break character. Between scenes Robin Williams would tell jokes and make the whole crew laugh but Ethan tried never to laugh, which made Williams just try harder. By the end of the movie Ethan was convinced that Robin didn't like him because he constantly joked about him. After finishing the movie and going back home, he got a call from Robin William's agent who said that Robin recommended him as someone they should sign. He signed with the agent and has had the same agent his whole career (or at least up to the point he told the story).

So the final “O, Captain!” scene is brilliant and iconic and I cry every dang time. Fine. Cool. But I’ve always wondered what happened after that blackout. Not like the next day (expelled?) or the next hour (paddled?). I mean like 10 seconds later. When does “hero” turn into “awkward” and they inevitably have to step down. Sketch comedy fun time…

I remember when I was twelve and one of my closest friends died in a car wreck. I was a wreck myself for days after. I remember my Mom having to come pick me up at school one day because I just started crying and I couldn't stop. When I saw this movie I was in my early twenties and Neil's death kicked me just as hard in the gut as Brian's death had when I was twelve. Just devastating. I can only imagine how nightmarish it'd be for a parent.

Can't wait for the day I see Old Boy on here, its such a crazy good korean movie

Great movie by all the cast, yet you can see why so many of us who loved Robin Williams acting abilities were so crushed when he left us so unexpectedly. He gave us so much.

30:06 - That scene of Williams reacting to Neil's suicide is many times over worse in hind sight knowing that he struggled with depression and suicidal thoughts all his life and, ultimately, did commit suicide himself exactly 25 years (And a couple of months) after the release of this movie.

strong reaction, thank you Mari. Keep being just who you are.

Aamdeus : No brainer. One of my favorite ever. The movie that really moved me to classical music. Amadeus and Shine will always remain in my top 10 movie of all time. Oh ! Dead Poets Society is also very great one :) Always like your reactions. Also wish you the best in your pregnancy :)

You never need to apologize for having an emotional reaction to a good movie! I have seen this film countless times and my consistent reaction to the final scene is always anything from tearing up to outright bawling. It's so sad, and so uplifting at the same time, and that simple act of standing on a desk and saying "Oh Captain, my Captain" cuts you right to the heart every single time!

Oh no... Mary was so happy when she saw the father enter the play. This is going to be bad.

I love your reactions to these. You are very caring, empathetic and always frame things in a considerate way. Again I ask for a difficult one, dealing with similar issues. Sleepers 1996. With your legal background and the way you react to these types of movies, it'd be a great reaction. Thanks.

7:55 love watching Mary feel the words Keating is saying. The fact that he included Law in the list of noble pursuits was a nice touch too, especially given her intro speech. 🤠

Another good Robin Williams movie is The Fisher King. Heartfelt, but also funny at points.

I remember watching this with my family on VHS when I was maybe 9 or 10, and I cried for like 5 or 10min after. The ending hit me so hard. I've since showed it to a couple friends who knew nothing about it waiting for that reaction lol One of them said "Damn you Philip!" near the end as she's wiping away a tear. (cue Kip's "Yes" pose) Success lol

Romanticism is a dangerous game, but makes the game of life worth playing. Interesting that Robin himself would meet the same fate...

It doesn't matter how many times I've seen this movie, it makes me sob every time. Just watching you watch it has me in tears. Todd's reaction is so so raw. One of my favorites. Robert Sean Leonard is breathtaking in this. If you want another Robin Williams, but comedy, 'The Birdcage' is a delight. And RSL is also in the Emma Thompson/Kenneth Branagh version of 'Much Ado About Nothing. That's a feel good, sun soaked delight.

Thank you Mary, i loved your reaction for this great movie , i was hoping you would see this film because its so relatable to those who happens to be caught between passion and principles

Love this movie. Great reaction. And yes, definitely react to Amadeus. One of the best films ever.

one of my favorite movies ever (yes I'm old) - have seen it SO many times Beautiful reaction! Thanks for posting

This is one of my favorites. You would also like Mr. Hollands Opus starring Richard Dreyfuss. Also life lessons And about a teacher :-)😊

Hey Mary, "Dead Poets" is absolutely one of Robin Williams' finest films. I absolutely love it and its cast. You should also watch Williams' underrated film "Bicentennial Man" (1999). "Amadeus" (1984) is definitely worth a reaction. It won 8 Academy Awards! You'll enjoy it!! I prefer the 'Director's Cut'. Here are some more classic movies to add to your list for future reactions: 1) "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre" (1948); 2) "The African Queen" (1951); 3) "The Children's Hour" (1961); 4) "Crooks Anonymous" (1962); 5) "The Incredible Mr. Limpet" (1964); 6) "What's Up Doc?" (1972); 7) "Westworld" (1973); 8) "Twilight Zone: The Movie" (1983); 9) "The Aviator" (2004); and 10) "The Invisible Man" (2020). 📽❤️

I visited the bench where Robin Williams filmed the famous "Your move, Chief" scene in Good Will Hunting and people still write quotes of Robin Williams on the walkway right there. "Oh Captain, My Captain" was there as well and just felt like a knife through the heart. This film is one that always has me loathing authority and authority figures. If Neil's dad hadn't been such a pompous prick, he'd still be alive, and the only joy I can take from it is hoping that in some continuation of the story Neil's dad is gruesomely tormented for the rest of his miserable mundane existence. He deserves every debilitatingly horrific nightmare.

I'm fond of saying YOLO is for people who don't understand Carpe diem.

Lovely reaction. This was Ethan Hawke's first film, and he went on to do many, many fabulous performances. When my son was in high school, his English teacher asked the class whether any of the students had seen Dead Poets Society. My kid, God bless him, without missing a beat, stood up on his desk and said, "O Captain, my captain!" Also: As a fellow lawyer who is also intensely interested in literature, I strongly recommend the work of my mentor, James Boyd White, the founder of the Law & Literature movement. Start with his most famous book, The Legal Imagination.

The desk set bit always cracks me up - “I wouldn’t worry…you’ll get another one next year” 😂

we're taught from an early age that our purpose is to just get to the finish line, a success, an achievement... but life is like a musical in which one should sing or dance while the music is being played. - alan watts

The moment I heard of Robin's passing, I had to get up on my desk at work and replay that 'Oh Captain, My Captain' line. Thankfully I was all alone because it was followed by a river of tears. Never would I thought the death of someone you never met would impact you that much...but Robin was a sort of dad ideal for us older millenials I think and it was like loosing a close friend. Many years later and it still hurts.

Thank you for sharing.

...I feel this struck home with you.... Grief is the price we pay for love....

27:41 "Oh, whoa. Is that horse alright?" From the story of A Midsummer Night's Dream, it's actually a sleeping man whose head has been magically transformed into a donkey's head. 😝 🐴💤

I had the same growing up: "Another Jawson? Are you the last one?" Yep. I was the youngest of nine. I had two teachers that were friends with my two oldest siblings.

Oh Captain my Captain. Mary gets us to stand on the desk every time she does a reaction. We say you captured our emotions perfectly.

Amadeus is my all time favorite film. I think you'll really enjoy it.

25:30 After high school my dad became a land surveyor and a draftsman. He started college thinking of becoming an engineer but soon discovered this did not suit him. He dropped out and, in 1964 joined the Air Force. He left the Air Force in 1968 and took a job as an oil refinery technician. He became a husband, a father and a pilot. He worked hard at his job and became part time flight instructor, teaching people to be pilots. He was an anti-racist and many other things. Are you just a lawyer, or are you many things?

That was a great reaction! This has been one of my favorite movies since it first came out. There is nothing that Robin Williams ever did that wasn't great. I really wish he was still around making movies. Another great Robin Williams movie that I am certain you would love is The World According to Garp. Also . . . you mentioned Amadeus. YES!!! You should watch that one, too. Fantastic performance by Tom Hulce as Mozart.

Mary, I wish I could watch this one with you, but I just can't make it through movies about high school. As wonderful as Robin Williams' performance is, I can't see this movie again.

Thank you for reminding me what a great film this is.

Yes, Amadeus! Great reaction.

What made Robin Williams so famous was that everyone had underestimated him. He was known for three things: Mork and Mindy (from the 70s), a super-foul standup act, and a massive cocaine addiction that he eventually recovered from in the 80s. It gave everything he did this really beautiful pathos.

I saw this movie in the theater when it came out in 1989. I was 14 years old and a huge fan of Robin Williams, strictly for his stand-up comedy and Mork and Mindy show at the time, so I didn't expect a drama. I'm a significantly different person than I would have been had I never seen it or seen it later in my life.

I'm so glad I grew up with movies like this. If you haven't already, check out the Robin Williams movie called Patch Adams. Based loosely on a true story about a doctor who put his career on the line because he believed that laughter was powerful medicine that was just as necessary for healthy treatment as chemo. A very touching and beautiful story I don't think anyone but Robin Williams could have played.

R.I.P. Robin, "Oh Captain My Captain!" 💔 If I may, I would like to Recommend "Patch Adams" and "Bicentennial Man" too.

Great reaction to a great movie. Neil's death is such a shock, and Robert Sean Leonard should get plaudits as much as Robin Williams for his performance (your observation that he *did* end up becoming a doctor in House is the first time I'd considered that, so kudos!). Also delighted to hear you're considering Amadeus, it's among my all-time top-10 greatest films and deserved every one of its eight Oscars. Please get around to that one sooner rather than later - I'd even go as far as to recommend the three-hour director's cut if you have the chance/time/patience!

'Dead Pool Society' would be a good fan club name.

This movie is so absolutely perfect. It takes you up so high, then dashes you down on the rocks just to lift you back up at the end. It is wonderful and then horrifying, infuriating, and finally triumphant in its finale. Dead Poets Society is always in the discussion when I think of my favorite movies.

Fantastic reaction 👏👏👏

Mary, I have a feeling if you enjoyed this movie you may also like "Memphis Belle" from 1990. Its a bout a crew of boys as well. By the way, the day the world learned of Robin Williams passing many on social media posted photos of themselves standing on desks with a caption "O Captain! My Captain!" When I learned he died, I felt the impact of his passing. I couldn't believe the world would go on without him. It was like we all lost a color from a crayola box.

The kid who stands up at the ensemble with the phone call prank is trying to take the blame for all of them. The school wanted to eradicate the whole “ideology”. As a lit major I can attest that it can be a fascinating course of study, especially if you also appreciate history. Another great robin williams film is good morning Vietnam.

Thank you, Mary! 📜 #MoviesWithMary #PeterWeir #DeadPoetsSociety

It's less than 4 minutes, but please do a reaction to Saturday Night Live's parody of this movie. The sketch is "Farewell Mr Bunting."